


You're Long Gone, As Always (I'm Still Here)

by xxELF21xx



Series: Be My Prince [2]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Nightwing (Comics), The Flash - All Media Types
Genre: (ie: dick using ppl as substitues), Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Angst, Attempt at Humor, Big Brother Dick Grayson, Denial of Feelings, Disguise, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Inconsistent Plots, Leo and Hart are Trying (TM), M/M, Mentioned Jason Todd, Past Barbara Gordon/Dick Grayson, Past Dick Grayson/Koriand'r, Prince Wally West, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, Wally West has Low Self Esteem, it's advised to read the first part of the series, no dickbabs bashing please
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-28
Updated: 2018-04-28
Packaged: 2019-04-23 05:55:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14326032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxELF21xx/pseuds/xxELF21xx
Summary: King Bruce Wayne and Crown Prince Dick Grayson are in the City of Central to meet her monarchs.Wally West falls in love with one of the King's men. Then, it shatters.





	You're Long Gone, As Always (I'm Still Here)

**Author's Note:**

> i need to contribute to the birdflash fandom as well. oh well.

It starts out slow, he supposes, the sun crawls up the sky at a snail's pace, the clouds inch through the sky like tortoises.

He stares out the window, sighing wistfully. Today was going to be an awfully slow day. Again.

Wally stares at his fingers, noticing the way it trembles. Even now, his body refuses to listen to him. Maybe his parents were right, he  _was_ a monster child. But, Uncle Barry wouldn't name a monster child his heir, would he? 

_Who cares, he probably did it because Aunt Iris told him to._

Uncle Barry is the perfect lover for his Aunt Iris. Tall, kind, gentle, a little clumsy, goofy, nerdy, genuine - who else would Aunt Iris choose? Wally's dull green eyes catch sight of a glowing green figure breaking out of the clouds, stopping right by his window. 

'Good morning, Wally!' A large, happy grin is directed at him, and Wally grins back, infected by bubbly joy. 'Hello, Uncle Hal! How was Oa?' The brunet's face scrunches up, eyebrows pinched, 'too political. All I wanted was to fly planes, too!' The Crown Prince of Oa groans. Wally stifles a laugh, 'doesn't your King allow planes?' 

Hal snorts, 'space dad? He's got a stick up his yellow ass. Every time I bring up Earth, his face shrivels up. He wants me to. . .  _embrace_ Oa more than Earth.' Hal's bright grin falters, a darkness blanketing his sharp features. 'Sometimes, I wish the ring didn't pick me,' Hal whispers softly, absentmindedly tracing over his ring.

The ring that made him Crown Prince of an alien galaxy. 

Wally, the ever-empathetic boy, smiles a little sadder, 'if it didn't pick you, then you would never have met Uncle Barry.' Hal's cheeks tinged pink. 

That's right. His Uncle Barry had picked Hal Jordan over Iris West. In the eyes of everyone else, Central had two Kings. Aunt Iris was just a figurehead that the rest of the world ignored. Uncle Barry had only ever loved her like a sister. It was the House of West that had been appointed to be in charge of an orphaned Prince Barry Allen, Iris West was the sister his Uncle never had. 

Central's inner politics are messy.

'Hope you aren't too tired, Uncle Hal,' Wally swaps topics, hiding his hands in the curtains, 'Gotham's King and Crown Prince are on their way here for a little trade talk.' The tanned man groans loudly, sinking slightly, 'so you might wanna be a little livelier today.'  _Not that you aren't always lively,_ Wally adds mentally. 

Uncle Hal ruffles his hair, smiling softly, 'thanks, kid.' With that, he flies off into the direction of the King's chambers.

Today was going to a slow day, indeed. 

 

* * *

 

 

The Gothamites arrive on time, black and blue carriages and caravans halting in the castle's courtyard. Aunt Iris stands beside him, clutching his trembling hands, 'it's alright if you want to skip this event, Wally,' the Queen murmurs. Wally shakes his head, 'I can do this.' She smiles, eyes proud. 

A carriage door opens, revealing two men dressed in black and blue respectively. The man in black was of a muscular and tall build, his very presence screaming power, the other man was slightly shorter and less muscular. He was lean, like an acrobat, and had a kind aura around him. Wally couldn't see their faces well enough, but he smiles brightly nonetheless, deciding to support Uncle Hal's less happy smile with his own. 

When the men draw close, Uncle Barry greets them cheerfully, 'welcome to Central! I hope the trip here was peaceful! If your company is tired, we could always meet on a later day. Comfort is more important!' They take turns shaking hands, but neither men approach Wally or Iris. 

'I'm Bruce, this is my son, Dick,' the man in black introduces stiffly, gesturing to himself and the other male. Dick waves a hand, but his face is mostly covered by the high collar of his coat, 'forgive Dick, please, he feels a little ill.' Hal shakes his head, pointing to the medical wing, 'would you like our doctors to take a look? It must've been tough to be sick on the road.' Dick shakes his head, he must've said something because the topic is dropped soon after. 

Hal turns around, striding inside the castle, a hand in his coat pocket. 'I need to make a quick trip to Oa, there's been a little intergalactic tiff going on, and nobody else is available to make the cut. Iris, I'm really sorry,' Hal apologises, face guilty. 'I promised that you would be able to rest easy and yet- '

Iris cuts him off quickly with a wave of his hand, 'oh, it's nothing, really. Your duties are more important than your obligations here. I should be the one apologising, you just came back and had to deal with the guests already.' 

'But I didn't really do anything, Iris,' Hal argues, shoulders hunched. Iris laughs, the corners of her eyes crinkling, 'yes you have! You've always stood by me even though you could've gotten rid of me.' A look of startled shock crosses Hal's face, but before he could berate Iris on belittling herself, she pushes him towards the gates. 'Go! Oa doesn't wait for anyone!' 

The sentence must've drawn attention since Barry turns around to face them. 'Have a safe trip, Hal!' Hal grins, giving a thumbs up before soaring into the sky. 

Wally thinks he hears a boyish laugh when Hal disappears, but he must've been imagining things. 

 

* * *

 

 

He runs through the corridors of the castle, chucking his coat into a bag and rushing to the servants' quarters. 'Quickly!' A familiar female voice hollers at him, sharp blue eyes take in the stretch of emptiness between opposing pillars.  _I can make the jump._

Without a second thought, he runs towards the marble railings, jumping a few feet before hitting the flat top of the railing and leaping across the air gracefully; the cloak around his shoulders flaring into the shape of a bat. He lands silently and softly onto the carpeted floors, hunched over his knees, breath stolen and cheeks pink. Bood thrums violently in his veins, the adrenaline singing in his body loudly. 

'Are you hurt?! Gods! That jump could've killed you!' An unfamiliar voice shouts at him, forcing him to look up into beautiful forest green eyes. 'Dude! Answer me! Are you alright?!' Fiery red hair, unlike Kori's, catches his attention minutely, cute freckles that litter the boy's eyes make him a million times more handsome, and Dick Grayson finds himself impossibly attracted to the rich tone of the other man's voice.

'Hey!' The boy snaps, worry blending into irritation. Dick snaps out of his stupor, cracking a giant grin and laughing loudly immediately after. The thrill from before has yet to settle, causing his elation to skyrocket. After a moment, he rises to his full height, a little giddy at the fact that the beauty is a little shorter than he is. 

He stares at those captivating eyes for a few more seconds before smiling in greeting, 'sorry! I didn't think anyone was here when I made the jump! I'm alright, thanks,' the stranger sighs in relief, slouching. It's obvious from the quality of the clothes and the House of Allen's crest on the boy's vest that Dick's taken to the only Prince of Central. 

'I'm Richie, one of the Prince's servants! It's nice to meet you, Your Highness. Didn't think my first impression was to scare you, though,' he jokes, hoping that the prince doesn't actually know who he was. 'Oh! Hey! I was just walking around, really bored, when I saw you running in this direction and I thought you were gonna turn either way but you just. . . you  _flew_ across the railings. It's probably the most beautiful thing I've ever seen,' the prince babbles. The compliment catches him off-guard, and a blush makes its way onto Dick's face. 

The prince doesn't notice, talking a mile a minute about how his day got a ton better. Dick smiles softly, sinking into the other's voice.

A heavy set of footsteps draw close, and a head of blue hair circles in on them. 'There you are! I was looking for you, Your Highness!' Prince Wallace's head snaps up, 'what?' Harper shoots Dick a confused look. He curls his fingers slightly, before relaxing them again.  _I'm not the prince now._ 'Oh! My mistake! I'm terribly sorry, Your Highness, I thought for a minute you might've been His Highness! His Highness rarely ever leaves this boy's sight, you see.' 

Harper bows slightly, but her hands are fisting her skirt in a manner that was so subtle nobody would notice unless they knew Harper well.  _Don't cause any trouble._ Dick laughs lightly,  _I won't,_ 'I haven't seen His Highness ever since he instructed me to gather a few things from the caravans.' 

Harper makes a little  _'hm'_ sound, as if deep in thought, but her eyes fall forty-seven degrees towards Dick's right,  _we need to go._

'I'll help you find him too,' Dick says hastily, acting his part as a panicked servant. 'I'm really sorry, Your Highness,' he bows, a genuine sadness in his words. Before Wallace could reply, Dick grabs Harper's hand and runs in the direction she came from. 

_You're not over Babs yet. Don't use this poor boy as a substitute to your ex-girlfriend._

 

* * *

 

 

'What were you thinking?!' Harper berates him, hiking her skirts up to a comfortable level. Dick laughs uneasily, 'I was just about to head to the guest chambers when I bumped into him. Jumping the railing was a quick shortcut, I thought nobody was there. . .' She sighs, a hand against her forehead, 'that wasn't the point! You didn't introduce yourself as a  _prince,_ sire, and you were wearing paupers' clothes as well!'

They fall silent. 

'He looks besotted,' she says aloud. Dick chokes on air, coughing up a storm. 'He was  _not!'_ She punches his arm, 'how did you know?! You were just as besotted as him!' 

He groans, 'I don't want to use him like- ' the image of a crying Barbara Gordon clouds his view.  _I don't want to use him as a substitute._

'Have faith, sire,' Harper wishes him luck, 'but you need to meet with Lady Barbara now.'

He gulps, the wound he'd inflicted on their relationship hadn't healed yet. In fact, he'd spent the whole journey in Bruce's carriage instead of his own because of the unbearing guilt he felt.  _'While I wished that your relationship could've ended in marriage, Dick, I don't blame either of you for its failure. As Steph had once described it, **"it was eating the both of you alive",** it was time before either of you got injured. I'm thankful that the both of you got out of it without any serious repercussions.' _Bruce's words rang in his mind, forcing him to accept the truth. 

He and Barbara Gordon were no longer lovers, but they could return to being best friends. 

_'It'll take time, and you would feel highly frustrated. But in the end, it all boils down to whether or not you treasure her as Barbara Gordon.'_

They  _would_ return to being best friends. The first step was acceptance. 

Dick Grayson was lonely without Barbara Gordon. 

He'd decided not to run anymore. He can't let her down anymore. Not like how he let Kori down. Not like how he let  _Jason_ down. 

Standing outside her door, Dick Grayson takes a deep breath.  _You can do this. You can._ He knocks a little beat on the door, their way of knowing who was on the other side. 

'Hey, Babs, can I come in?'

 

* * *

 

 

Seeing him fly across the gap was like watching a bird in flight. Dark hair whipped back by friction, cloak billowing like bird's wings, lean limbs curling up to soften the impact of landing. 

Light blue eyes closed, a small smile probably gracing the man's masked lips. He'd looked satisfied. Chest moving rapidly, the man collects himself, but Wally's worried that he may be injured. After a few tries, a response tumbles out.

Wally barely pays it any attention, he's distracted by how  _attractive_ this man is, light blue eyes fanned by long, dark lashes, and messy black hair falling across his face. Pink cheeks mellow his sharp features; the thought of alluring red lips causes Wally's mind to visit a dark place.

Wally starts blurting out his thoughts as soon as Richie stops talking, embarrassed about how attracted he was to a man he'd just met. 

And just like how abruptly they'd met, they're parted. 

Richie seems superbly chummy with the other servant. 

Wally's jealous. He's never been close to any of the servants. The service staff didn't like him, they were unexpectedly hostile. He was neither the son of Barry Allen nor was he related to the King.  _An illegitimate child would've been better than him,_ he'd heard the servants whisper when they thought he couldn't hear them. New servants were not placed near his quarters, there was no way to get rid of the hostility of the palace. 

Funny, considering he  _grew up_ in the palace, alongside all the other sons and daughters of the various Houses. He was born on the castle grounds, but he's treated like an outsider. 'What's the point in dwelling about this,' he muses, lips slanting into a tiny smile. 

The happier he was, the more the Palace's hatred toward him increased; the least he could do was prove to the world that Wally West could live without a care. 

'Your Highness!' Sweeping red hair styled into a braid, the lady that greets him is muscular, blue eyes look him over critically as if assessing for weaknesses. A small smile is on the lady's face, 'are you alright? Your Highness was staring off into space for a while.' 

'Huh? Oh, I'm alright; thank you,' he answers absently, gaze sliding toward the figure beside her, taking in the strong yet lean build of the man. It's Gotham's prince. She smiles a little brighter, 'I'm Barbara Gordon, daughter of Vassal Lord and Royal Advisor Jim Gordon, the man beside me is Crown Prince Dick Grayson.'

There is no stiffness in those words, only warmth and fondness. Wally is not used to this. 

The prince smiles brightly, light blue eyes shining with mirth. 'I do apologise for not greeting you earlier this morning, I was feeling rather unwell.' Prince Grayson's voice is the exact opposite of Lady Gordon's light but firm tone. His was deeper than expected and friendlier. Wally blinks dumbly, basking in the warmth of their voices. 

Two different shades of blue look at him, as if peeling away the layers of Wally's personality, 'is there a preferred name you would like to be called? Surely, calling you  _Prince Wallace_ would get irritating after a while,' Lady Gordon offers, lifting up her hand uncertainly. 'You could call be Barbara,' she continues, and Prince Grayson cheerfully tags on, 'just call me Dick!' 

The two of them are awfully in-sync, Wally laughs inwardly. 'If it's not too much, I would like to be called Wally.' Barbara grins while Dick voices out an  _"okay!"_ Their outfits clash slightly, Wally realises then; Dick's suit is mostly black, with black slacks and a black shirt under his dark blue vest. The first button is undone, showing a silver of lightly tanned skin. The suit jacket is a velvety black, shimmering slightly, and is left unbuttoned, it's bare of badges and pins; however, a rose gold brooch of a bird, resembling a robin in flight, is nestled on the collar. Barbara's dress is a lighter shade of dark blue, with yellow accents along the hem of the dress. The left half of the dress is swirled with yellow, blending perfectly with the blue; creating the effect of a full moon on a calm night. A shimmery fabric covers tanned skin from the tops of her breasts to her neck, and a shawl of the same material rests on her shoulders. It's relatively plain, save for a rose gold bat that's holding the shawl in place near her collarbone. 

'The both of you look magnificent,' he compliments, in complete awe of their outfits. They each represent a certain mood, whoever designed their attire should be applauded. Dick grins, 'thank you, Wally! I'll be sure to tell my little brother about it!' Barbara rolls her eyes, nudging Dick playfully, 'you know that Tim deserves more than that, Dick.' 

The maid from before, Richie's friend, comes along again, reminding them that the feast was starting in several minutes. Together, the four depart. Wally notes the absence of Richie and asks about the servant boy. Dick freezes at the question, shifting his eyes to look at the maid and Barbara, 'I'm not entirely sure where he went, either, I sent him out on an errand before leaving to meet with Babs.'

Barbara sighs, 'I haven't seen that boy either,' there is a bitterness in her tone, which causes her partner to flinch. The maid blinks, unaffected, 'he's off on other duties.' 

 

* * *

 

 

Dick sends a tentative glance Barbara's way, hoping to get the message across, but she ignores him and continues chatting with Queen Iris. He sighs, playing around with his food. Beside him, Bruce gives him a deadpan look, 'I thought you told me you've made up slightly?' He raises a brow as if to say  _"nothing has been resolved"._ Dick feels the urge to slam his head on the table, 'I did!' He hisses, violently stabbing a piece of meat, 'but there was a  _thing_ I failed to tell her, it just slipped my mind!' 

Bruce's stare turns judgemental. Dick glares back, shoving a forkful of food into his mouth. Bruce blinks, taking a sip of wine. Dick picks up a piece of buttered toast, dipping it into his soup, taking a huge bite out of it. Bruce places his cup down. Dick chews slowly. Bruce leans back into his seat. Dick swallows his mouthful of toast and steak. 

They go back and forth for a bit before someone clears their throat. 

'Uh,' King Barry awkwardly blurts, 'what's going on?' 

'Nothing,' they both retort at the same time. 'Right,' the King blinks. Both of them pick up their soup spoons and take a sip. 

Barbara groans, 'can you guys  _not_ for one day?' Beside her, Jim wears an expression of  _the both of you are adults._ The Allens watch in confusion for a while, before Bruce breaks the silence, 'I'm honestly too tired to be formal right now.' 

'Ditto,' Dick snorts, ungracefully shoving roast beef into Bruce's mouth before the older man could say anything, 'please don't talk, B.'

Barbara pins him with a  _look,_ and he offers his pudding as a sacrifice to keep her from killing him on the spot. 'Hey, Babs,' he smiles weakly. 'Tim isn't here to help either of you. Please behave, honestly.' She takes the pudding nonetheless. 

'Well, formality is out the window during meals,' Queen Iris adds, 'and so are titles,' Iris concludes. Dick feels his overly polite grin fall flat, and he glumly stares at his plate. The other guests of the feast are too busy mingling to approach the main table, leaving them in relative silence. 

Bruce sets his utensils down, 'then I'll cut straight to the point: are the cities of Central and Coast merging?' Iris' bright eyes dim, Barry chuckles nervously. Wally's ever-present grin slips off his face. 'Prince Hal Jordan was the second in line for Coast's throne, however, his elder brother has decided to leave the future of Coast in Hal Jordan's hands as he refused to be coronated as King. That being said, Hal Jordan is Crown Prince of Oa as well. A person cannot be Crown Princes of two kingdoms, a merger must happen. Either Coast goes under Oa's jurisdiction, or Central and Coast merge. Hal Jordan is seen as a monarch of Central as well.'

'This should be discussed when he returns from Oa,' Barry replies weakly, hands blurring. Dick knows that select citizens of Central are born with the ability to move at astounding speeds, but seeing it in real time was really something else; it was as though a haze had developed over a part of his vision, and the urge to rub his own eyes was strong. 'We don't have much time, Allen,' Bruce snaps, irritation seeping into his voice, 'Arkham has its sights on Coast, even if Arkham is under my jurisdiction, I cannot assure you nor your husband that Coast will be safe.' 

Wally stands up abruptly, visibly upset, 'I'm sorry, but I don't feel too well. I'll take my leave now.' Before anyone could get a word in, he's gone. Dick stares at the empty seat, jaws slack.  _Wally has accelerated speed._

Barry clears his throat, 'Wally treasures Coast dearly. It's probably the only place in the world where he won't be judged for being my heir. The people treat him and Iris like the royalty they are,' a sheen of bitterness coats Barry's bright blue eyes, 'hearing the news that it may be invaded must have upset him terribly.'

Bruce nods minutely. It's as if he barely registered the fact. A simmering heat starts in the pits of Dick's stomach, something that resembled anger and hurt. It was  _Jason_ all over again - caring just enough, but never leaving the comfort zone.  _This is how it all crumbles,_ the teal-eyed boy had mused,  _as soon as you realise how little he actually cares about you; your whole life starts to tear into little pieces. The more you realise that he's a selfish man, the more you want to push the boundaries._

Beneath the table, Barbara kicks his foot.

'Do you not fancy him,' she whispers. Startled, Dick turns his gaze towards her grim face, 'what?' He nearly hisses back, 'but- ' She pinches his arm, causing his mind to jam up, 'do something for him! Comfort him!' 

He blinks dumbly at her. 'Right, right,' he mumbles a moment later. He smiles apologetically at everyone present, 'I'm still feeling rather tired, please continue the feast in my presence. Good night,' he waltzes right out of the hall, Harper hot on his heels.

Barbara smiles brightly at his retreating figure, sorrow and pain in dark eyes. 

 

* * *

 

 

Wally tears through the palace, looking for a spot to finally release all the pent-up stress in his body. His mind is a whirlwind of anxiety, thoughts of what would become of Coast, how devastated Hal would become, how much pain and suffering the people would go through under Arkham filling his mind. His breathing quickens, chest fluttering from quick breaths. He ends up crashing into someone before he's able to think clearly again. 

'Hey,' a soft voice croons as if talking to a wounded animal,  _'breathe, breathe,'_ a hand moves up and down along his back, cool in the warm night. Wally shivers involuntarily, a sob escaping him. They sit in silence for a bit, Richie's shallow breathing keeping him grounded.

'Feeling better?' Richie asks, voice mellow. A million questions pop up in those eyes of his, overshadowed by worry, 'do you want a drink of water? You're sweating an awful lot,' the smile falters, and the servant boy starts fussing over him for a good minute or so. Cold hands sweep sweat-soaked hair out his face, and a crisp cloth cleans him up as best as possible. 

Wally doesn't acknowledge the other boy, electing to stay quiet for once in his life. Richie marches on, regardless, 'heard there was a fuss in the Great Hall. Both princes ended up running away,' the raven-haired boy huffs a laugh. A bottle is pressed against his cheek, 'that was an awful lot of running, Your Highness.' 

When Wally gives no response, Richie sighs. 'Y'know, I had a kid brother that used to be a little like you: full of energy, chatty, an utter  _delight._ He was also snarky, quick-witted, a storm of emotions. People hated him. Said he wasn't enough, he wasn't worth the effort to raise.' An anger resonates from Richie's stiff form, 'he was a good kid. Continued his life as well as he could, helped those who didn't deserve it. Dad may have loved him more than he loved me, I think.'

'What happened to him?' Wally asks fearfully. Richie laughs a brittle, bitter sound. 'He  _died,_ s'what happened. Dad and he got into a fight, then the kid found his birth mother and tried to reach her and got himself beaten to death.' Lax fingers curled into fists, a sharp tremble running along Richie's shoulders, 'Dad never told me about his death, didn't tell me about picking up another kid either. My brother entered and exited my life so fast I couldn't even get a good grasp of who he was.' 

The moon's rays illuminate the alcove they're sat in, bouncing off Richie's tears. 'Gods above, what  _wouldn't_ I do to get him back? I might've hated him for a bit, but that's what all siblings do, right?' 

'Why are you telling me this?' 

'Because I miss my brother. Because I feel like you'd understand.' 

Wally stares at Richie's face, taking note of the sharpness of his cheekbones, the glittering eyes. 'I don't know how to relate,' he says. 'You don't need to,' his friend whispers. 

Finally, Wally confesses. 'I don't know what to do. My parents hate me for being. . .  _special,_ I'm not fit for this throne, my aunt is never seen as what she's meant to be and the places I want to protect is slipping through my fingers. ' His stares at the carpeted floors, 'what do I do?' 

'I don't know,' Richie answers truthfully. 'I'm not you, I can't tell you what to do because I've never felt like that. But, I think,' he pauses, 'I think that as long as you are here, you would be fine.' 

By the time Wally's done processing those words, Richie's long gone. 

'I'll be fine, huh,' he whispers to himself, feeling warmer. 

 

* * *

 

 

The next few days bring no peace for either family; Bruce and Barry fight back and forth, pushing back any plans on Coast by several weeks. Hal Jordan is not on Earth. Iris flits back and forth between official duties while facing pressure from both sides. Wally has been fighting back, trying to establish a footing in the monarchy. Dick and Barbara were stuck in a vicious cycle of fighting and helping each other. 

'This is pointless,' Dick growls, tossing a stack of papers to a side, 'Babs! Have you gone mad?! If we go with your ideas, an all-out  _war_ could happen!' Barbara bites back a scream, cheeks flushed, 'do you have a better plan, Grayson?! Did you think I had  _fun_ thinking this through? God's sake,' they were both breathing hard, frustrations evident in their postures and tensions running high. 

He falls messily onto the floor, ignoring the crinkling of paper under his body. The once pristine clothes on his body are wrinkled and covered in ink. He sits there, limp, 'let's just take a break.' She grunts, 'we don't have time, The Joker's moving- '

'Babs,  _please,'_ he breathes, 'we don't have the energy nor the right frame of mind to think. Besides, we've been going at it for nearly a  _week.'_ Another limp body joins him, leaning over a couch. 

'If Hal Jordan returns, will things turn out okay?' She asks, voice hoarse from screaming. He shrugs, 'doubt so, there a ton of other problems to deal with.'  

She gives him a dry laugh, 'I kinda get why Jason's always hated how we work. We're always overthinking. There a million options and we go through each one even though we know some will never work.' Dick feels the tears welling up in his eyes, 'he was always an amazing strategist, a better improviser. Gets the job done even if he doesn't want to. I kinda know why the people loved and hated him so passionately now. If he were here now. . .' The words die in his throat. If Jason were here now, the problem would've been solved already. Jason knew Hal Jordan personally, having met him at a gala one night and started chattering the heartbroken guy's ear off until the brunet felt better. 

He wasn't sure if they kept contact with each other. 

'But Jason isn't here anymore. He's dead. He won't come back to us. We'll have to solve it without him.' Barbara's sour words ring out, 'he would've wanted us to be alright. I think.' 

Dick stands, what little energy he had left draining out of him, 'I'm going for a walk. A long walk.' 

Barbara doesn't answer, unfocused eyes staring at a red scarf, neatly folded, perching on Dick's bed.  _Jason's_ scarf. He turns around, changing hastily into grey clothes and scampering out the room before his mask was in place. 

He doesn't know why he brought the scarf.  _Perhaps it is to get over your guilt of missing his funeral._

While looking for Harper, he bumps into a dead-looking Wally. 'Your Highness?' He waves a hand over tired eyes, 'when I said that you'll be fine,  _this_ wasn't what I meant.' His nose scrunches up under the cloth mask, causing a slight irritation. Wally mumbles something, rubbing his eyes lethargically, 'Huh? Your Highness, I can't hear you properly,' a sense of dread fills Dick's entire body.  _Did something go wrong?_

Wally groans, leaning his head on Dick's shoulder, 'Your Highness?' There's a hitch in his breath, and his cheeks grow warm. 'Court sessions are so  _boring,_ Richie,' Wally whispers, digging his cheeks into Dick's collarbone. 'R-right,' he stammers, 'His Highness always said that it was a drag.' 

The incident from the feast had yet to leave his mind. Wally had looked so handsome after their little talk, eyes alight and a wide grin on his face. It had caused his heart to go crazy.  _I shouldn't be feeling like this,_ he reminded himself,  _not when Barbara and I just broke up._ 'Why don't you have a rest, sire?' A few maids walk past them, eyes widening at the sight of their prince resting on a stranger's shoulders. One of them, a blond girl with her hair up in a ponytail, glares at him irritably with angry blue eyes. He puts his hands up, waving back and forth, trying to signal that nothing was going on, but they didn't care. 

He groans internally, wishing for Wally to let go. He had come out to de-stress, not get into trouble with Barry or Iris. 'Your Highness,' there's an edge to his tone, a threat, causing Wally to jump up, laughing with pink on his cheeks. 'Sorry! I was just, uh, recharging? I'll go take a break now.'

'You don't look too well,' Dick says, slapping himself internally. He had the perfect opportunity to leave and he  _didn't_ take it! This was why Damian called him an idiot! 'Maybe I should escort him back,' the suggestion slipping out his lips. Wally's face reddens, 'it's okay!' He squeaks, 'I can go back on my own!' Dick blinks, knowing how unconvinced he must have looked, 'you're really not well, Your Highness, should I call the physician?' 

_Dick Grayson, you utter fool of a man._

'No!' Wally shouts, startling him, a servant boy scurries past, carrying a steaming tray of food. 'Fine, guide me back.' Dick snorts, taking hold of Wally's arm.  _This isn't courting, is it? No, it isn't._ Just as Dick was about to finally accept that he only cared for Wally like a friend, the other boy blurts out: 'I have a crush on you.' 

Dick's whole world screeches to a stop. He's done it, again. Any sort of argument to say that Dick didn't feel the same was gone. 

Wally's not looking at him. They're at the door. Dick lets go of him swiftly, before escaping by jumping from the nearest bannister down to the ground floor gardens. He doesn't need to look back to know that Wally hasn't noticed his disappearance. 

A sharp thorn pierces his heart. He couldn't start a relationship with someone he would never meet again. He cannot afford to. Dick Grayson will not fall in love at the speed of light. 

 

* * *

 

 

Wally avoids the guest wing the next few days, even going as far as avoiding Dick entirely. He knows rejection. Richie clearly wasn't interested, he was just being a nice and supportive acquaintance. He needs to get over him, and the only way to do so was to be drowned in work and be surrounded by people that didn't resemble Richie in any way. 

He never noticed how many blue-eyed people existed until now. Gritting his teeth, he speeds through the castle, knocking into a blurry blue figure. 'Whoa! Hey, easy there, Wally!' The distinct voice of Dick causes him to flinch, 'Wally?' 

'Sorry, wasn't looking where I was going,' he mumbles, hoping to get away before the other prince could ask more questions. 'I heard from Richie that you were feeling slightly unwell a few days ago, are you better now?' The name causes him to stiffen up entirely, his eyes are permanently glued to the ground. A warm hand cups the left side of his face, tilting it up slightly to get a better look. 

Dick had worn his high collared coat again, masking the lower half of his face. His eyes were a little lighter, but in the correct lighting, Dick would've been a spitting image of Richie. Wally continues staring at the Gothamite, after a moment of awkward silence, Dick offers a hand. 'You've been there for quite a while,' he sounds embarrassed. 

Wally takes the hand, noting how much softer it is compared to Richie's slightly calloused ones. Several blisters line the space between his fingers and palm, but the hand is otherwise smooth.  _Come to think of it, Richie's hands aren't that rough._ 'It's probably because he's a personal delivery boy more than anything else. He's fast on his feet, after all.' Wally sends him a look of alarm, but the other man ignores it in favour of steadying him. 'I heard you confessed to him,' he continues, as if he was talking about the weather, 'sorry if he did anything rash, he can't handle emotions well.' Dick winces, smiling nervously. 

Wally's tongue feels like sandpaper, just how much had Richie told Dick?! 

'I- I kind of deserved it,' he mumbles in reply, 'I haven't even known him long.' Dick snorts, failing to cover up his amusement. 'Sorry, it's not that this is funny, it just reminded me of something. I fell in love with my first love a few seconds after meeting her. It was literally love at first sight,' Dick's faced turned wistful before sadness took over it slowly, 'it didn't end well. I'm kinda scared of falling in love now. My previous relationships just don't go well.' 

Wally's attention turns to the floor. 'I'm not saying that you did a bad thing, Your Highness,' a familiar voice calls out to him, 'it's just that I'm not ready to accept you just yet.' He whips his head up, only to be faced with an empty corridor. 

Heart pumping, he tears down through the building, trying to see where Richie may have gone. It was impossible for the boy to slip past his periphery, not when Wally was hyperaware of the people around him

After searching the building thrice, it was evident that Richie had disappeared long before Wally had even realised. His chest constricted painfully,  _when will I be able to catch up to you?_

 

* * *

 

 

Their little game had gone on for far too long.

Barbara had grown tired of watching them skirt around each other. Standing over his bed, she demands, 'just confess to him already.' He sinks into the pillows, trying to block her out, 'I can't. I can't hurt anyone else. I'm not- ' She sighs, a long, dreadful sound, 'you  _can._ I've never seen you so in love with someone.' He frowns, sitting upright, but a steely glare from her sends him cowering into the pillows once more. 'The only other time you were a pining mess was when you were crushing on Kori.' He huffs, 'not true. You- ' Barbara tuts, 'it was probably because I was the one you spent the most time with, other than her. You've never loved anyone as much as you loved her.' He tries to protest, to say that he loved Barbara to the moon and back several times, but get cut off, 'you never had such strong feelings for anyone else.' Her face softens, 'I suppose I've always been a sort of sister to you, haven't I? I refuse to see you suffer just because you're unwilling to try. Are you really alright with not telling him?' 

Dick stares at their trunks, packed and tied up. Today was their last day here. The issue had been resolved once Wally managed to convince the majority of the Royal Court to accept him and Iris as leaders and Royals of the state. Hal Jordan had returned a month early, as well. Somehow, word got to him that the Gothamites had something that Jason had wanted to pass to the brunet, before his untimely death. With his return, Hal consulted with his brother, coming to an agreement that Coast and Central should merge; he'd also relinquished all the power he had in Central to Iris. 

'A country is nothing without its rulers, and a King is useless without his Queen,' he had said, smiling brightly at Iris' coronation. 'Take good care of her, Central, Coast.'

Gotham had signed a peace and war-time alliance with the rulers of Coast-Central, but Dick prayed that both kingdoms would stay safe.

Wally had gained several friends as well, it would seem. A rogue knight by the name of Leonard Snart, who was banished from Central a few years back for aiding in a Royal heist and freezing several powerful people into ice sculptures; as well as a deaf musician/thief Hartley Rathaway, who was jailed and forced to help the Royal Scientists after being caught luring a large crowd of people to start a riot using a flute-like device. Where Wally had gained those friends would remain a mystery, but there was no doubt that those two would risk their lives for his safety.

'Are you sure you're okay with me courting Wally?' He asks one last time, watching the irritation grow into exasperation. 'I swear to the  _Gods,_ Richard John Grayson, if you don't meet him _right now_ and profess your undying love to him, I  _will_ eviscerate you.'

Dick smiles, 'I love you, Babs.'

She laughs, 'I love you too, you sap.'

 

* * *

 

 

He'd asked to meet in the garden before he leaves. Wally paces anxiously,  _this is probably the last time I'll ever get to see him._ He would have to mourn for his tragic love life all over again.

His first crush had been a petite court lady's niece, blonde hair and rich, brown eyes. His first kiss was from a boy three years older than him, light brown hair and black, shiny eyes. His first love had been a servant boy that was a mystery, inky hair and dark, glittering blue eyes. 

Leonard and Hartley were keeping watch over him from a distance, acting as if they were bored out of their minds - judging from the way they tossed rocks at each other and screeched like monkeys in a rampage - but he knew they were just as curious as he was. 

Wally picks out an odd rustling sound from above, before being ambushed by Richie. 'Hello, Your Highness,' the servant greets, cheerful. The commotion from the rogues seemed to have stopped. 'Hey, Richie,' he greets, 'I see you've still got your mask on.' Richie gives him a smile, or what he assumes was a smile, 'sorry, I'm not comfortable taking it off.' 

He shrugs, 'it's cool. Kinda makes you look much cooler anyways.'  _Gods, did he just use "cool" twice in a sentence?!_ Richie's eyes narrow slightly, 'I suppose goodbyes are in place.' The smile on his face drops, 'oh.' 

'Thank you, for being such a wonderful friend,' Richie continues, eyes bright, 'it was nice knowing you. I'm sorry for running away the other day. I didn't know how to reply.' 

Wally blinks, he knows how this is going to go. 

Richie leans in, arms circling him in a tight hug. Wally squeezes his eyes shut, stamping down the devastation in his chest. They pull apart, but before he could say his own thanks, Dick leans in again, eyes closed. The silk runs against his skin smoothly as Dick places a light kiss on his lips. 

'I love you, Wally.' 

Wally, for all his speed's worth, watched as Richie slipped past him, darting past Leonard and Hartley like water, and disappearing in a sea of blacks and blues.

Richie's grey mask was wrapped around his hand, and his own red neckerchief was gone.

 

**Author's Note:**

> oof, i just realised how this didn't really mesh well with the first one. well, it works, so...
> 
> please point out any mistakes i've made!!!


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